Thursday, August 25, 2016

In case you haven’t heard, preparing meals in big batches can be an easy and efficient way to supply meals for the workweek. This method of meal preparation is great for both single adults and families with school-aged children.

For families getting back into the groove of a new school year, it can be difficult to balance easy, cost-efficient recipes with delicious flavors and healthy nutrients. With some planning, the search for delicious, well-rounded, and healthy meals on those busy work nights will become much easier.

Meal prep is also an excellent option if you are looking to overhaul your diet. Planning and cooking your own meals can help you be more aware of what you are consuming, and it can help you stick to long-term health goals.

There can be many methods to meal prep, but we’re going to focus on delicious grilled dishes to get the most out of the warm weather. Take a peek at some of our best tips for cooking big-batch, grilled meals that you can prep for the Monday through Friday grind:

Choose Your Meats Wisely

For some much-needed protein, incorporate healthy cuts of meat into your meal prep entrees. Chicken is an inexpensive and healthy option, but can easily dry out by the third or fourth day. Chicken thighs can be more flavorful and won’t dry out as quickly. Pork tenderloins, turkey breast, and lean cuts of beef are also great options. Salmon is the perfect addition to get some omega-3 fatty acids, which are excellent for reducing inflammation in the body and lowering cholesterol. Use marinades, spices, and rubs to maximize flavor.

Encourage Your Kids to Help

Sunday meal prep can be an excellent time to enlist some help from your kids. This can help alleviate some of the time it takes to meal prep. It will also be a great time to teach your kids cooking skills and enforce nutritional habits that they can carry into adulthood. Check out these ideas forlunchtime meal prep for teens.

Get Those Veggies In

With prepackaged meals, boxed dinners, and plenty of fast food options on every corner, it can be hard to get those essential veggies in. This can be dangerous because you can miss out on vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and more. With meal prep, getting those essential nutrients in will be a breeze. Mix it up by using new veggies like broccoli, bell peppers, red onions, zucchini, squash and more. Cook them on kebabs or in a grill basket. Vegetables are delicious on the grill, so incorporate some of thesegrilled vegetable ideas into your meal prep boxes.

Aim for Versatility

It can be easy to get bored of having the same exact meal day after day, so build some versatility into your meal prep. Do this in a variety of ways. When you cook in bulk, split your protein into three sections. Flavor each section differently to add some “spice” into your meals. For example, cook one section in buffalo sauce for spicy wraps, one section with chipotle spices for flavorful burrito bowls, and one in a lemon sauce to pair perfectly with asparagus and potatoes. Delicious and versatile!

No matter the recipes you use, meal prep can make your weeks much easier and more enjoyable. With some efficient planning and cooking, Sunday evening meal preps will leave you with time to spend with those who matter the most!

For an array of healthy protein options and nutritious snack options to add to your workweek meals—such as our 15 different flavors of snack sticks—visitGrand Champion Meats.